Core and stranded (C-S) cables are conventional, such as an Aluminum Conductor Steel Reinforced (ACSR) cable, an Aluminum Conductor Composite Core (ACCC) cable, and an Aluminum Conductor Steel Supported (ACSS) cable. One example of a C-S cable is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,385,138, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The cable has a core and strands of electrically conductive metal wrapped around the core. The core functions as a support to allow the cable to be supported over an extended length from opposite ends, such as in overhead high tension lines used in high voltage power distribution networks. The core can be a light-weight advanced composite core, such as a carbon composite. The metal conductor strands function as electrical conductors. C-S cables also increase the current carrying capacity while providing a lighter cable. The strands can be made of aluminum.
Electrical connectors are used to mechanically and electrically connect the C-S cables. Examples of electrical connectors for C-S cables are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,805,596, 6,015,953 and 7,019,217. Screw-on inner sleeves of electrical connectors prevent excessive compression on a composite core of an ACCC cable, which otherwise can result in damage to the core. However, installation of the screw-on inner sleeves can be labor intensive.
Conventional electrical connectors for C-S cables are manufactured having various inside diameters. The appropriate electrical connector is selected based on the diameter of the cable being connected. Each conventional electrical connector can receive only one cable diameter corresponding to the inner diameter of the electrical connector. Thus, a large and expensive inventory of cable connectors are required to accommodate the various diameter cables encountered in the field.